Regarding the value of the fibre, a specimen of rope 

 made from it, given me by Dr. Heath, was submitted by 

 the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, to Messrs. Ide & 

 Christie, Fibre Brokers, of 72, Mark Lane, E.C., who 

 report that " it is a good class fibre, much liked ; its value 

 to-day (September, 1902) is 35Z. per ton ; but that it is 

 not a regular article of commerce, only odd sample bales 

 having been received in this country. The plant thrives 

 in Cuba, but money is wanted to develop the industry." 



It remains to add that its native country, though un- 

 known, may be presumed to be tropical Africa, whence 

 ten species have been described, of which six, including 

 the ^present, have been figured in this Magazine. 



8. grandis forms a strong tuft in a bed in the Temperate 

 House, where it flowered for the first time in July, 1901 

 and again in 1902. 



Descr.—Stem 0. Leaves few, very large, rosulate, sessile, 

 unequal-sized, the largest three to four feet long, by six 

 inches or more broad, spreading, obovate-oblong, acute or 

 mucronate, rigidly coriaceous, flat, dull green, crossed by 

 broad bands of much darker green on both surfaces, 

 margin with a very narrow, red-brown, cartilaginous 

 border, bcape about two feet high, stout, green, bearing a 

 lew, distant, narrow, lanceolate sheaths. Panicle two to 

 three feet high, erect, narrow, spiciform, dense-flowered. 

 Bracts minute, ovate, acuminate, scarious, three-flowered. 

 Mowers sessile, or very shortly pedicelled, erect, about two 

 inches long, pure white. Perianth-tube cylindric, inflated 

 at the base ; segments about as long as the tube, linear, 

 sub-acute, dorsally costate. Stamens as long as the 

 perianth-segments. Anthers linear-oblong. Style slender 

 stigma minute, capitate. — J. D. R. 



Fig. 1, flower ; 2 and 3, stamens ; 4, ovary :— all enlarged. 



